MIAMI—This city has a ton of fabulous dining options. Here are two completely different spots in different parts of the metropolitan area you might want to try.

YARDBIRD

This is a classic, upscale Southern spot that has won a ton of awards and made a huge impact on the Miami food scene. There’s a nice patio and also a buzzing scene inside with an open kitchen and chalkboard signs describing the joys of bacon.

The kale salad ($11), with dark, crisp greens topped with fresh, shaved cheddar, sliced green apples, red onion, cornbread croutons and “moonshine soaked raisins” with cider vinegar is fantastically inventive. The chicken and biscuit appetizer ($12) features chicken brined for a full day and then fried up moist and delicious and served on fluffy biscuits with honey and sweet pepper jelly. Sinfully delicious and not at all greasy.

They serve up a huge batch of hard-to-find (in Canada, anyway) bourbons and make special drinks. The night I was there they were making Yam-hattans with yam-infused bourbon, vermouth, chocolate mole bitters and a rim covered with honey and tiny bits of yam. Not entirely successful in my book but something different.

They make a great plate of yellow, green, fava and lima beans soaked with Italian seasoning ($8) and outstanding scallops ($32) with pork belly, served with an andouille sausage/cornbread stuffing and spicy molasses glaze that’ll have you drooling on your golf shirt.

1600 Lenox Ave., just south of the Lincoln Road Mall. 305-538-5220. Expect to pay $70 or $80 for appetizers and entrées for two, plus tax and tip and drinks. Bourbon goes for about $9 and up and there are a variety of local beers for $5 to $7. Runchickenrun.com.

TIMO

Located in Sunny Isles Beach down Miami way, just a couple of blocks from Sole on the Ocean, Timo is upscale, Forest Hill-sleek Italian with a great vibe. There’s a brick pizza oven and a beautiful dark wood bar and it’s not too noisy even when packed.

The fennel and arugula salad ($13) comes with bright oranges, fresh figs and a pistachio vinaigrette, and they make a killer risotto with an entire lobster mixed in. The veal chops ($44) are grilled perfectly and they serve a tasty baked polenta with talegio cheese inside.

As solid as the mains are, it’s the desserts where this place shines. The pastry chef does a remarkable blueberry Baked Alaska with pearls of crème de menthe and also a chocolate genoise cheese flan that’s topped with vanilla ice cream, coated with crunchy, toasted coconut and resting in a pool of salted caramel with chocolate drizzle. A stunning creation and tasty as can be.

17624 Collins Ave. Sunny Isles Beach. 305-936-1008. $125 to $150 or so for appetizers and entrées for two, plus tax and tip but not including wine.

More on thestar.com

We value respectful and thoughtful discussion. Readers are encouraged to flag comments that fail to meet the standards outlined in our
Community Code of Conduct.
For further information, including our legal guidelines, please see our full website
Terms and Conditions.